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Wenger has won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups and reached the Champions League Final against Barcelona since his arrival in English football in 1996, but Arsenal supporters are beginning to fear they are being left behind by United and London rivals Chelsea.

Beaten three times in the league this season, they are six points behind leaders Chelsea, but Wenger claims there is little to choose between Arsenal and United.

Theo Walcott, troubled by a shoulder injury, is expected to start on the right, but there are doubts over captain William Gallas (hamstring), Mikael Silvestre (broken nose) and Bacary Sagna (ankle).

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson will welcome back first-choice strikers Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov after they began Wednesday’s ChampionsLeague draw against Celtic on the bench.

Arsenal forward Theo Walcott should be fit enough to face Manchester United on Saturday after recovering from a shoulder injury sustained in the defeat against Stoke

But there was more bad news on Friday about midfielder Owen Hargreaves when it emerged that he is in Colorado consulting famous knee surgeon Dr Richard Steadman about his tendinitis problem.

Ferguson has been assured by Arsenal that he will be given more security than last year when he complained about abuse from Gunners fans situated near the away dug out and, in turn, has urged his own supporters to stop their sick taunting of Wenger.

Ferguson said: ‘Manchester United and its supporters should know very well the chants that have been levelled at us over the years — about the Munich disaster and things — and understand the sensitivity.

'I don’t agree with it at all and hopefully our fans appreciate it comes to me, too.

‘There’s enough to admire in our game without resorting to denigrating people.

'The police should be stepping in.’

United have yet to win at the Emirates, but will be buoyed by Arsenal’s 2-1capitulation to Stoke.

Ferguson made it clear that he did not agree with Wenger’s criticism of Stoke’s tactics.

‘I saw highlights of thegame and the tackles involved, but there are teams in football who have different styles of play.

'So when you play Stoke City, you know you are going to be up against a different way of playing — but it’s not a dirty way of playing.